Back pain and IBS

IBS is poorly understood because it is badly categorized - doctors focus on the gut problems as they are the symptom that link the largest number of people with similar and somewhat overlapping symptoms.

There are people with gut problems that are diagnosed with IBS.

Others however experience more severely other problems, which occur alongside with the abnormal speed of passing food through the gut. These people are also diagnosed with IBS.

The efficient treatment varies across individuals, because the source of the problem varies - and all confusion spurs from doctors' effort to tie all symptoms around the most obvious and widely experienced complaint.

My condition seems to be mostly affected by stress. Cases similar to mine don't seem to find diets very helpful - eating habits are related, however if the source of the problem is not in the guts, there's no hope to treat effectively with diets. A friend of mine shared most of my physical symptoms to do with the gut and got better just by remembering his fruits, more fibre, more liquids and so on. That barely does anything for me. - IF THE SAME CONDITION IS NOT CURED BY THE SAME TREATMENT, THEN WE ARE NOT OBSERVING THE SAME CONDITION.

For the few people around who are directing their hope towards antidepressants:

1. Even if you're diagnosed with IBS, antidepressants might not affect your gut problems at all. Your best option might be proper eating.

2. All my gut symptoms are to do with stress, however, antidepressants were mostly bad in my experience. Synthetic drugs that screw with levels of hormones are quite dangerous and not too helpful.

The chemical reactions related to coping with stress don't seem to occur in a normal fashion for some people diagnosed with IBS. That explains why many of us also suffer from anxiety disorders/ panic attacks/ depression... and many other conditions that are more often attributed to the psychological state. Whatever the initial cause may be - misuse of drugs that play with serotonine levels/ persistent stress factors/ post traumatic stress - the important effect I think is the further inability of the body and mind to cope with stress - in chemical terms levels of hormones are NOT ADEQUATE TO THE CURRENT NEEDS OF THE BODY. That would explain why people get panic attack - overreaction of the body to a minor or no apparent stimulus; "Irritability of the bowel" - also can be made sense of as an inadequate reaction of the body to the current conditions ( as someone mentioned above - eating a toast can make him/her unwell).

I will leave it to the doctors to further explain the relationships between hormones responsible for mood,stress reactions, bowel movements... but my conclusion is that research should go in that direction. If doctors seek cure they ought to seek a proper understanding of the condition first.

Antidepressants may help to establish a pattern in a previously reactive or underactive body, but they do a lot of damage in the meantime. What DOES help with much less unwanted effects are natural equivalents ( many people with IBS claim that weed is one of the few helpful things) ; yoga; exercise - in short all things that have an effect on mood. If one manages to find a harmless thing(preferably not weed) that has a positive effect on one's mood and turns that into a routine then levels of hormones should go back to normal and one's ability to cope with stress should return.

I think IBS is such a problem in developed countries because people don't exercise regularly and enough. If they do, they do it too abruptly and cause more stress to their bodies than anything else. If I were researching IBS I'd find 100 IBS patients with the most severe symptoms, let them eat whatever the hell they feel like and put them on yoga and mild regular exercise. My bet is the ones that had mood issues and irritable bowel as a result would be happy fit and healthy in 3/5 months. If anyone around is up for it, we can make this ourselves I am sure it will do more good than harm unlike all the antidepressants, other drugs and more stress doctors usually put their patients through!

Hi everyone. Reading these posts has been both comforting and depressing! Hit with the realisation that I will have this forever!

I started badly with it 5 months ago and put quite a bit of weight on due to being bloated and constipated.

It has recently got alot worse due to stress and I am now experiencing horrendous cramps which are very similar to but alot more painful than period pains. I didn't think IBS cramps would spread that far down and wanted to see if anyone else had experienced this or if it has nothing to do win IBS??

MrsB2012, bloating and constipation will not cause weight gain. If youre gaining weight you are eating too much for your body requirements or you have thyroid problems (which you probably havent) which your doctor could easily identify. Apart from IBS symptoms, general medical tests show normal functions. Eat less anyway, small meals and definately avoid simple sugars, dextrose, glucose, sucrose. Eating too much actually causes the symptoms to worsen. Weight loss, fatigue etc is a sign of IBS along with gastro intestinal cramps, , saliva foaming, bladder sensitivity, low back ache etc etc. Never weight gain.

Contrary to medical opinion (they are wrong), food intolerances do not cause IBS. There is more than enough symptomatic evidence to show that. Although gas producing and some acidic foods may irritate IBS symptoms.

The medical profession blunder around proding and probing at the body mechanisms via pharmaceuticals with IBS because they are ignorant of the causes. Generally these are "symptom stoppers" and not preventative medicine. I think we will find in 200 years or so that our modern drug treatments will be viewed as no more than pharma-savagery, akin to using a hammer to peel a grape.

This illness is on a cellular level that is not understood at all. Whether it is a brain / gut neurological problem (flight or flight response), caused by chemicals in food/water, genetics or a gut micro biology, nobody knows. But you can read some research here. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002524/

My IBS started after food poisoning. Before that I had a stomach of steel. Within the last year after a serious RTA, I was given Omeprazole to counter Didclofenac/CoCodomol which eats the stomach lining. My IBS had reduced somewhat but out of the blue it returns, for no lifestyle change reason at all!! Albeit a bout of diarrhea stops the cramps immediately now? God knows but the Docs dont.

If docs cant see it then its psychological and that makes it your fault. Your a hypochondriac, a whinger a timewaster to them.

I agree with so much of the previous post. My IBS also started as a result of food poisoning and I am certain it is stress related and is not triggered by what I eat. To a certain extent my GP understands this but does not really know what to do about it although he is supportive!

It is a very mis-understood problem.

I have suffered for 30+ years tried everything that's been offered, just had few months with no symptoms, but, it's back again this time with very painful back ache, my G.P says the back pain is nothing to do with I.B.S, but she dosn't have I.B.S so how does she know, she said its imflamation of coxyst ???im sat with hot water bottle on my back at this present time, don't think anyone undersatnds what it's like until you suffer from it

Woke up yesterday with back ache and took 2 ibrofen and 2 panadol. Still had back ache so repeated this every 4hours but instead of getting better the pain seemed to spread around my right side and into my tummy. I then flet bloated and had terrible acid heartburn. After a restless night I still have back pain and stomach pains and now have diarrhea. Is this because of the ibrofen or have I initiated ibs? I still have the back pain and burping a lot. I don't know if my condition is serious or not. Should I go to the doctors or just wait for it to get better? Confused!

You have to see your G.P kellielyn it does. Sound like ibs but best get it checked out, good luck.

kellielyn04 Visit your Doc if these symptons are new because a few basic tests can rule out serious disease. Ibuprofen and Aspirin based products can cause stomach bleeding which the proof is conclusive and if it is IBS you have then these arent likely to help anyway. Post mortem studies suggest that 17% of people taking aspirin-like drugs are bleeding from their gut, although rarely this is the cause of death, but can!

Irritable bowel syndrome is NOT a diagnosis. It is a symptom which may have many causes, all of which need investigating.

Interesting to know that the Innuit and Thules lived on a diet of very low carbs, protein and Omega 3 fats for over 2500 years and with no symptoms of western diseases. A diet free of hormones, additives, milk, wheat, toxic chemicals, cleaning products etc etc. Over 50,000 man made chemicals have been created with over 90% never undergoing any toxicology tests!

Hi guys, I am pretty new to these forum things..but thought I'd jump on, say hi and share something with you. I suffered from IBS terribly for a long time, and more recently someone introduced me to drinking aloe vera! Sounds strange I know but it has changed my life! Has anybody else tried that?? I am so incredibly amazed at what it has done for me I now sell it to other people suffering like me! Who would have thought that a drink could be so powerful and change my life! Don't suffer in silence! xx

Unfortunately, there`s not much evidence based in the claim of aloe vera for ibs, although the modern mis-information by bloggers and affiliate salesmen pushing sales up relies on rather patchy evidence. Trials showed placebo equally effective as aloe vera. Some studies showed toxic properties when ingested. On a the good side, Aloe vera does contain digestive enzymes; Amylase , Catalase Cellulase Lipase which could account for some improvement if you were lacking in these.Topical applications seem safe enough.

In the light that ibs is a symptom, not a diagnosis and there is no actually cause of ibs found as yet, taking various supplements for an unknown cause seems a bit pointless. If youre feeling well Philippa, then thats great news, regardless.

I believe ibs is on a cellular level undiscovered as yet. i.e. Low quality food sources, too many carbohydrates in diet, enzyme/gut flora deficiencies and chemical toxic overload, on a person by person basis. (Considering we all eat mainly the same sourced foods but only some people are affected).

I always ask for certificates of analysis on all supplements and if they cant invest in this, I dont deal with the company.

Since I cut down on spicy foods I've not had any IBS pain. I used to splash chilli sauce on everything. Now I only have very small amounts maybe once a week. Similarly, I limit myself to one can of coke a week and no coffee or tea (which I don't like very much anyway). Now I drink mainly water and fruit juice during the day and an alcoholic beverage in the evening, beer or lager usually but just the one and two glasses of red or white wine on a Sunday.

When I feel bloated I'll have a peppermint capsule which works pretty quickly.

Last week I had a very hot chicken jalfrezi and had some slight discomfort afterwards including the curious back pain. I think for me the caffeine and the chilli was a direct cause of my IBS and since cutting down on both I've been okay. IBS is different for everyone though so what works for me might not work for someone else. Try cutting out various things you eat regularly and see if that makes a difference. Also try cutting down on wheat gluten, that's a well known cause of bloating and an IBS trigger.

yeah I have had it for 3 years now and I was just diagnosed with it. it does seem like the doctors don't really care and take their sweet time. I also get the severe lower back pain. granted I'm 21 now so if you think three years back... being that young with it really sucked. and I have thought about ending it also. because they

couldn't figure out what was wrong. and even now I can't imagine living with it for the rest of my life. and when you tell people about it I really don't believe they understand how much it hurts. but for those of you who are thinking the same way and just don't want to get up and do anything. I recommend the medicine called chlordiazepoxide (Librax). it slows down bowel movements and get rid of anxiety. it gets rid of the stomach pains but not the bad back pain. but it makes me get up and do stuff and not think about it.. so since I just found out what it is now I'm going to start the dieting... but for me I would say the back pain would be

the worst part. I barely got any sleep at night I just keep rolling around. but I wish you all well. because we all know what it feels like. And its not fun.

I'm 59 years old, 6' 6" tall and 18 stone - 'been told for years that I have IBS which comes in fits and starts but for the last few weeks have been getting lower back pain at the same time as the stomach pains and constipation. 'was getting really worried that it was the big C but seeing that others also suffer associated back pain is easing my mind.

When I get the stomach cramps its normally preceded by half an hour wherein my stomach gets hot, I feel dizzy and can't concentrate - does anyone else feel like this ?

My IBS seems to be worse during times of stress but can come on at any time. Yesterday it started off as normal in the morning with bloating and back pain when I got up but unusually I had an active day with a lot of bending and pulling and the symptoms just disappeared - last night I felt terrific. This morning I'm right back to the usual.